Wedge-lock



R. E. MATHIS.

WEDGE LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 20, 1919.

l I&

R. E. MATHIS Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

g Fi

ATTORNEY UNITE STATES EALPH E. MATHIS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

WEDGE-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8. 1.921.

Application filed November 20, 1919. Serial No. 339,&66.

TO all whom it may conccmr Be it known that I, BALPHDE. Marrim, a citizen of the United States of Amer1ca residing at the cit of St. Louis, State of Missouri United .States of America, have invented a certain new and useful lVedge- Look, ot which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, torming part of this specification.

M invention relates to a wedge lock and particularly to means for looking the wedge and brass of a railway journal hearing together to prevent the theft of the latter from the journal box.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of wedge lock made in accordance with my invention together with a railway journal box to which the same is applied, Fignre 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, Fig. 2 is a front view, the jou nal box and aXle being omitted, Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the wedge, and Fig. l is an enlarged section taken on the line 1-4 of Fig. 3.

5 indicates the railway journal box, 6 the axle, 7 the brass, and 8 the wedge all of which parts may be of the standard M. C. B. type.

9 is an upwardly extending apertured pro jection which may be either formed integral with the brass 7 or secured thereto by means of a stud 10 as shown in the drawings. The projection 9 enters a slot or recess 11 formed in the wedge 8, and engages with a shoulder 15 torned by the junction of the recess 11 with a rearwardly extending tapering passage 24. The projection 9 is adapted to be engaged by a rod 12 threaded at its outer end and situated in a passage 13 forned in the body of the wedge. The threaded portion of the rod 12 engages with a nut 14: cast in the wedge 8. The outer end of the rod 12 is provided with a key engaging portion 16 and is Situated in an enlargement 17 oi? the passage 13. The lip 18 of the wedge prevents a straight key from directly engaging with the portion 16 of the locking rod. In order to allow the removal and insertion of the looking rod 12, the parts should be so proportioned that after the threaded portion of the rod 12 is disengaged from the nut 14, its forward part can be tipped downwardly so as to pass the lip 17 ot' the wedge. 19 is a key which is adapted to operate the rod 14: by engagng with the portion 16 of the rod and provided with a universal joint 20 to allow it to be inserted into the passage 17 at an angle as shown in Fg. 4: of the drawings.

I In the normal position of the parts the ront end of the wedge 8 engages with detents 21 forned on the box 5 and the front end of the brass engages 'with a collar 22 on the end of the aXle 6. In order to remove the wedge and brass, the box 5 is moved upwardly relative to the aXle G, but ths movement is limited by the engagenent of the lower side of the axle with the end of the axle slot 23. The amount of movement in a standard M. C. B. box is not suiiicient to allow the wedge and brass to be removed together and consequently while the parts are locked together by my device it is impossible to remove either. By disengaging the wedge from the brass, however, the wedge may be raised sufliciently to disengage the projection 9 from the shoulder 15 and thus allow the withdrawal of the *wedge The passage 24 being of such size as to pro duce the necessary space between the top of the brass and the box for the passage of the wedge.

It will be evident that the wedge cannot be disengaged from the brass without the use of a key which not only fits the projecting portion of the rod, but is also provided with a universal joint to allow its angular engagement with the rod. Inasmuch as the brass cannot be removed 'from the journal box without first removing the wedge it offers an effective means tor preventing theft of the brass.

Having fully described my inventon what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:`

1. The combination with a railway brass of a wedge provided with longitudinally movable looking means engaging with the brass, and a downwardly projecting lip on said wedge protecting said looking means for direct engagement 'from the front of the axs.

2. The combination with a railway brass of a wedge provided with longitudnally movable looking means engaging with the brass, a downwardly projecting lip on said wedge protecting said looking means from direct engagement from the front of the axle box, and a key provided with a universal joint for engagng and actuatng said looking means.

3. The combinator With a railway brass provided with an upwardly extending apertured projectin, of a Wedge, and a longitudinally movable threaded rod carl'ied by the Wedge and adapted to engage With said projection to lock the said parts together.

4c. The eombinaton With a ralway brass,

provided With an upWardly extendng aper- 10 tured projection, of a Wedge provided With a longtudnal passage, a slot to receive said projection, a threaded rod in said passage and adapted to egage with said projecton, and a threaded nut engaging With said rod. 15

111 testimoiy Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and aflixed my seal.

RALPH E. MATHIS. [L. 3.] 

